But 2011's Galaxy Nexus is being dropped from the support list.

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A shiny new version of Android is launching with Google and LG's shiny new Nexus phone, but one of the longstanding benefits of buying Nexus means that you won't need to drop $349 on a new phone if you want the new software. Google's more recent Nexus devices will all be breaking off a piece of KitKat in the "coming weeks," according to Google's introductory blog post.

Android 4.4 is supported on nearly all of the Nexus devices that currently support Android 4.3, including the Nexus 4, the 2012 and 2013 Nexus 7s, and the Nexus 10. However, 2011's Galaxy Nexus won't be receiving the update. The Google Play edition Galaxy S 4 and HTC One should also receive the update at some point soon. Those phones received Android 4.3 just eight days after the Nexus devices started to get it, so the wait shouldn't be too long.

We've spoken at length about how Google is decoupling its core apps and services from Android itself, and Android users may not even be able to tell the difference between a phone running Android 4.3 and one running 4.4 if they're keeping their apps updated. But Google still uses new versions of Android to patch security holes and introduce low-level features like Bluetooth 4.0 and TRIM to the operating system, meaning that new updates are significant even if they aren't tied to more exciting user-facing features.

Google's Android rollouts typically happen in phases, so if your phone or tablet can't see the update right when it hits, you may have to wait for a day or two before it shows up. Alternatively, if you want the update as soon as it's out and don't mind setting your device up from scratch, you can watch Google's factory image page and wait for the KitKat images to begin showing up there.

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Andrew Cunningham
Andrew wrote and edited tech news and reviews at Ars Technica from 2012 to 2017, where he still occasionally freelances; he is currently a lead editor at Wirecutter. He also records a weekly book podcast called Overdue. Twitter@AndrewWrites